Wolfgang Puck: Käsespätzle (Cheese Spätzle)

So I made some spätzle for the lovely Swiss dinner I cooked.  But it was about a metric ton of spätzle.  Which was about 2,204 pounds more than I really needed for that particular meal.  But if you've been raised properly, you don't through good spätzle away.  You smother it in cheese and caramelized onions and spend the rest of the evening sneaking to the fridge for fourths and fifths.  You have been warned.

Käsespätzle (Cheese Spätzle)
Adapted from Wolfgang Puck

1 large sweet onion, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 cups freshly cooked spätzle, tossed with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until melted
4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and cook over high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Oil a 9x9-inch baking dish. Spread half of the spätzle in the dish and top with half of the caramelized onions.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese, then top with the remaining spätzle.  Spread remaining onions on top, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the spätzle is hot and the cheese is just melted.

Makes 4 servings